A few SOs to my happy reviewers…

Gambit14: I'm confused.  I don't know about half the stuff you're talking about…

Happyhunting: Thanks.  I'm working on the length thing.

Branwen: You read it because I used my psychic powers to suck you in!  Mwahahaha!  Actually, I don't know what really happened to Jean and I don't know much about the Phoenix thing, so I'm just gonna make it up.  I'll try not to make it too cheesy.  (Somehow that always happens.)  Thanks for the compliment.

catz: Here's more for you!

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The moment she entered the building, Kaeldra was hit by a blast of cold air.

"Geez," she muttered, "talk about air conditioning.  I wonder how much they spend on electricity for this place."

"Actually, not a lot," came a voice to her right.  "I take it you're Kaeldra Fisher."

"Y-Yeah," she replied, startled.  Turning, Kaeldra saw a man in a wheelchair looking at her with friendly eyes.  He looked old, but somehow that wasn't the impression he gave.  ((That sounds like Dumbledore… looks old but doesn't seem like it.))

"Are you Professor Charles Xavier?" Mr. Fisher asked, closing the door behind his daughter and himself.

"Indeed I am.  Follow me."

Professor Xavier led them down a hall and into a large office.  Once inside, Kaeldra's nervousness began to subside.  It was as if the room had a calming effect on her

"So Kaeldra," said the professor, settling back in his wheelchair, "welcome to my school for the gifted."

"It's… nice," she faltered, staring at the elegantly furnished room around her.

I designed it myself.  The whole thing came out rather nice, if I do say so, spoke Professor Xavier's voice in her head.  Kaeldra stifled a small gasp of surprise while the professor chuckled.

"Well now you know my gift, and your father has told me a little about yours.  Would you like to show me?"

"Um, sure."

Kaeldra concentrated hard, closing her eyes and clenching her teeth.  Her body flickered back and forth between existence and the unseen.  Finally she hit invisibility altogether and opened her eyes.  Before she could move, however, she reappeared back in her chair.

"I'm not that good," she admitted, looking at her feet.

That's why you're here.

Kaeldra glanced up to see the professor smiling again.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell me about?"  he inquired.

"Well," the girl began, "I can communicate with animals… and sometimes partly control them.  It's a lot easier than invisibility."

"I take it you've had more practice.  You have pets?"

"Yes."

You've brought one with you.  A cat, I believe?  And you want to know if she can stay.

Would that be okay?

Of course.  Just make sure to keep it away from students with allergies.

I'll do my best.

"Well, Kaeldra, I have to talk with your father about a few things, so if you'd like to look around a bit…" suggested the professor.

"Okay," was the reply.

She stood up, stepped over to the wall, and began examining everything from the books on the shelves to the paintings on the walls.  In a little while, her father called her back over to the mahogany desk.

"Jeremy and I need to leave, because we have to get home by seven for his game.  Come get your stuff out and say goodbye to Jeremy," he said.  "Where should she take her belongings?" This question was addressed toward the professor.

"Pull your car up around back and I'll tell Logan to help you."

"Thanks!  Nice meeting you!" Kaeldra called, remembering her manners as she followed her dad out of the office.

"Nice meeting you too," Professor Xavier said, smiling to himself and extracting a stack of papers from his desk to look over.

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()--- This chapter was longer than the first one!  And the third is even longer!  I'm getting better at this…  Thankies to my reviewers!  ---()  Ermine/Tree